HE AMERICAN PUBLIC, and Christians in particular, are being deluged once again with talk of the thoroughly ambiguous concept of "social justice." It is, after all, election time. Thus the pseudo religious among us must make their pitch for the Christian vote, on whatever spurious terms they can concoct.

In its raw form, "social justice" merely references the prevailing societal attitudes of the day, relegating any defining standards of right or wrong, good or evil, and moral or immoral to a snapshot of the existing consensus. Biblical principles notwithstanding, "social justice" has throughout time been equally applicable to those crowds shouting "crucify him," the burning of "heretics" at the stake during the inquisition, and even the holocaust.

It is therefore no great wonder that the "Reverend" Jeremiah Wright, in his venomous and racist rantings against America, would seek refuge under the umbrella of "social justice" when attempting to defend his positions.

In its modern form, it represents a conglomeration of environmental extremism, coupled with the Marxist concept of a government empowered to confiscate the property of one citizen for the purpose of purchasing the loyalty of another. But since the ultimate reality of such false generosity and sanctimony conflicts with foundational Biblical truth, substitute "truths" must be cited in their stead. No less a mutation of reality is sufficient to legitimize socialism or environmental extremism under the guise of "spirituality."

Possibly the most notable and outlandish example in recent memory is Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's fabricated "scripture" asserting that one must worship the environment in order to worship God. Those who are truly familiar with Scripture know that the first chapter of Romans contains a stern admonition against that very notion. But while few among Pelosi's ranks have ever had any interest in fact as derived from such dry and rigid source material, their current transparent attempts to redefine Christian citizenship merely represent a continuation of similar sordid efforts over the years.

The stunning collapse of Democrat fortunes in the 1994 elections caused party operatives to realize that they had suffered from an enormous disconnect from mainstream America and its traditional values. But, being thoroughly unwilling to actually embrace or even comprehend those values, liberal Democrats concluded that the only alternative, if they were ever to regain that portion of the electorate, was to offer an alternative set of "values" that might resonate with the American heartland while not conflicting with the liberal socialist agenda.

So instead of overhauling their party platform, they determined to reinvent American "Christianity" in a form that would make it compatible with Democrat political objectives. That they have enjoyed any success at all in this brazen endeavor is a sorry testimony to the condition of the Church in America.

Initially, Bill Clinton stumped tirelessly, with the help of the liberal media, to construct a scandal of black church burnings. Though he may have gained some short-term political mileage from it, the issue evaporated into thin air once the '96 elections were over, he had secured his second term as president, and the issue had outlived its usefulness to the Clinton strategists. Ultimately, most of America failed to take the bait.

Since that time, a broader and more insidious scheme has been implemented. With the help of the ever present liberal clergy, who studiously avoid and actively discourage "political involvement" on those prickly issues of abortion and sexual immorality, a new direction and rationale for "Christianity" has been established in the past few years. The two main pillars of this counterfeit spirituality are environmentalism and socialism. Not surprisingly, in regards to these issues those same liberal clerics are only too willing to lend a hand.

Concurrently, "Christian" populists, such as California megachurch pastor Rick Warren have done their best to open the floodgates of this modern "leaven," by supplanting stodgy old religionists and their narrow perspective of sin and redemption with the delightfully more flexible concept of "purpose." Under its auspices, saving an ostensibly endangered species might rate comparable spiritual glory with saving souls, while clearly representing far less of an affront to "old scratch." It is therefore liable to incur far less of a backlash from his leftist minions in the political arena or on the nightly news.

So, what are the real consequences facing a society that embraces these false premises of "spirituality" while abandoning the truth? The same as they have always been throughout history: decline and eventual ruin. And the evidence is mounting before our eyes.

Like some pagan culture whose members starve in the streets while worshipping the abundant livestock living in their midst, western civilization has amazingly opted to burn its own food supplies in order to produce fuel, though abundant oil supplies lie within its soil and just off its shores.

Meanwhile, the elites who have squandered a disproportionate share of those resources, traveling on their private jets to "environmental conferences," will continue to do so while the common citizen must endure greater and greater hardship in order to merely stay warm and get to work. Yet does the "Earth goddess" rejoice at this? Or is it merely those demigods of liberalism laughing at their extensive ranks of useful idiots? Social "Justice" indeed.

Chalk one up for "environmentalism" that will neither clean the planet nor make life better for its inhabitants. Yet the easily deceived are made to swell with sanctimony while those spearheading the movement gain in power and stature.

Ditto for the much older ploy of redistributing wealth. Under its influence, the nation's economy stagnates, working citizens on every rung of its economic ladder are increasingly driven to lower levels, and those in power increase their dominance. Nevertheless, the ruse continues under the premise of "fairness."

Americans are not ignorant of the crushing effects of rising energy costs, or the debilitating effect of excessive taxation. What is critical is to immediately enlighten them as to the inarguable cause and effect relationship between these burgeoning adversities and the fraudulent leftist ideologies that spawned them. Only then can the nation avert a continuation of its descent from once being that "shining city on a hill" to a dim caricature of its former glory, and an increasing reflection of third-world hardship and squalor.

Christopher Adamo is a Staff Writer for the New Media Alliance, Inc. (www.thenma.org). The New Media Media Alliance is a non-profit (501c3) national coalition of writers, journalists and grass roots media outlets.